State Superintendent’s Award for Educational Excellence

Contact

Matthew Frizzell
564-669-1359

The State Superintendent’s Award for Educational Excellence (SSAEE) is presented by State Superintendent Chris Reykdal to the 25 top-performing school districts in educational achievement in the previous school year and the 25 top-performing school districts in progress and improvement in educational achievement over the last three school years. The award expands on traditional measures of success and includes 11 measures that focus on educational opportunities and academic success. The SSAEE is aligned with the state’s Annual Snapshot on Student Opportunity and Outcomes.

The SSAEE was created by OSPI in 2026 after the U.S. Department of Education canceled the Blue Ribbon Schools Award program, which recognized schools across the country for educational progress and achievement.  See our Frequently Asked Questions document for more information.

2026 Winning School Districts

Awardees for Academic Achievement

  • Adna School District
  • Anacortes School District
  • Bainbridge Island School District
  • Bellevue School District
  • Camas School District
  • Carbonado School District
  • Cashmere School District
  • Conway School District
  • Dieringer School District
  • Freeman School District
  • Griffin School District
  • Issaquah School District
  • Lake Washington School District
  • Liberty School District
  • Mercer Island School District
  • Northshore School District
  • Oakesdale School District
  • Peninsula School District
  • Shoreline School District
  • Snoqualmie Valley School District
  • Steilacoom Hist. School District
  • Sumner-Bonney Lake School District
  • Tahoma School District
  • University Place School District
  • White River School District

Awardees for Academic Progress

  • Adna School District
  • Carbonado School District
  • Chimacum School District
  • Cle Elum-Roslyn School District
  • College Place School District
  • Columbia (Stevens) School District
  • Finley School District
  • Hood Canal School District
  • Inchelium School District
  • Kiona-Benton City School District
  • Lind School District
  • Mount Adams School District
  • Nine Mile Falls School District
  • Onalaska School District
  • Pateros School District
  • Rainier School District
  • Raymond School District
  • Riverside School District
  • Ritzville School District
  • Sedro-Woolley School District
  • Steilacoom Hist. School District
  • Sultan School District
  • Toledo School District
  • Wahkiakum School District
  • White River School District